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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-12-04 Daily Xml
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SA Health, ICAC Report

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (14:24): My question is directed to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Does the minister accept the ICAC commissioner's analysis of the SA Health department in the part of his report that says, 'Making credible and useful recommendations would require a substantial amount of further work'? If the minister does accept that recommendation from the commissioner, does the minister now also accept that there is an overwhelming case for an independent inquiry into SA Health or, better still, providing the ICAC commissioner with the $2 million he asked for to investigate the department properly?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:25): I'm certainly not going to provide a commentary on the ICAC commissioner's report. What I will say is that these issues are longstanding. The ICAC report details cultures and behaviours that have been allowed to build up and fester in SA Health over many years. The report confirms and unpacks longstanding concerns. In particular, the report references the Auditor-General's comments in report recommendations in 2013 and the lack of action on that report.

The Liberal team in opposition highlighted many of these concerns and Commissioner Lander raised a number of these issues with me in a meeting on my first day as minister, and in a series of meetings since. In terms of the longstanding nature of these issues, I refer honourable members to a statement made yesterday afternoon by Dr Chris Moy, the Australian Medical Association South Australia president. He said:

The ICAC report basically sets out the problems we have been pointing out for the last few decades. These are historical problems and problems which need to be fixed, and we are starting to see the seeds of change over time.

This government is not interested in playing Labor's political games. We are committed to fixing Labor's mess.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: See what it's like, the Hon. Mr Hunter? Do you see what it is like? You might want to reflect on that.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: My level of empathy for the President has gone up a notch.

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